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John Moriello's NYSSWA blog
Tuesday, June 26, 2007: Ousted JV coach says he'll go to court to restore reputation
   Leading off today: Ousted Monsignor Farrell JV basketball coach Dan Melious is about to file a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of New York, The Advance reported Tuesday.

   Attorney Jonathan Behrins is expected to hold a press conference naming the Archdiocese, athletic director Lou Baldassano and varsity basketball coach Bob Besignano in the suit. At the root of the dispute, says Melious, are statements made by Farrell personnel accusing him of an improper relationship with one or more players.

   "I will fight to get my reputation back," he told the newspaper.

   Melious, 29, said his contract was not renewed by the school for next season. His teams were 97-26 in five seasons.

   Farrell Principal Monsignor John Paddack could not be reached for comment on Monday, the paper said.

   Leading off today: There was a nice piece Monday on Time Warner Cable's Capital News 9 about Mohonasen golfer Joe Watrope.

   The 16-year-old junior was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in October and is undergoing treatment now. With the Ellis Hospital Skins Game rolling through town, Watrope received a visit from PGA star Paul Azinger, himself a survivor of the disease.

   "I feel for him, you know, because he is on the front side of whatever he is dealing with," Azinger said. "But once you get on the other side of the treatments and pain of it all, you can look back and say hey, that went pretty fast."

   Following up: Ryan Boatright, the California eighth-grader who was the subject of yesterday's blog after being offered a basketball scholarship by USC, has selected his high school. He will attend Aurora East, having been assured he would play on the varsity as a freshman.

   Shouldn't the coach wait to see who actually shows up on the first day of practice before guaranteeing spots on the roster? He apparently checked with Tim Floyd at USC, and the answer was, "Nah."

  
   Also, I mentioned Dwayne Polee Jr. of Westchester, Calif., in the same blog item because he also committed to USC as an eighth-grader last year. An e-mail correspondent reports seeing Polee play recently at Fordham University and making a big impression with a variety of rim-rattling dunks and some slick moves.

   That doesn't mean he has the complete package already, but I still like the odds of Polee playing major-college ball in 2010, even if it's not for Southern Cal.

   Class action: We ran our most recent survey question a tad longer than usual (just over two weeks), and the call for change got stronger as time went on.

   Some 51 percent of those responding said they would like to see the state track meet expanded to three classes like boys ang girls lacrosse. Another 23 percent want to keep the two-class format, and 26 percent would rather return to the days of old when there was only a single class.

   Up until a year or so ago I think I would have preferred going back to a single class. But, as is also the case in wrestling, the depth of quality in the sport is showcased nicely by crowning champions in two classes.

   And although I think there might be some merit to adding a third class, it would be too much of a logistical nightmare unless the meet was held at more than one site, which isn't a very attractive option. And let's not forget the cost; it would require huge sponsorship money before anyone started figuring out a way to make a three-class meet happen.

   By the way, this week's non-scientific survey question on the home page deals with the issue of metal bats. Remember to stop by and cast a vote.

   Extra points: Rob Stedman has been named as coach Charley Young's replacement in boys basketball at Hornell. He attended Alfred University and most recently was an assistant at Geneseo State. . . . McKee/Staten Island Tech stayed in-house by promoting Charlie Donohue to varsity basketball coach following the resignation of Tim Hynes last month. Donohue coached the junior varsity to the Staten Island tournament championship this season, his second on the job.

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